Mt Isa

QLD Meat Industry board operated and was responsible for co ordination of wartime meat production

Export2

Nominal Capacity 56,000hd per 50 weeks2

History

1942

Mt Isa Meatworks and cold storage facilities built

1980

Over capacity of the meat processing sector had always been a chronic problem, but where previously it was due to seasonal factors now the problem was a direct result of management decisions during the late 1970’s (Pg 85, thesis)3

Processing sector shed 15,000 jobs between 1980-1984 (Pg 117, thesis)3Entire export sector was regulated by the speed and skill of the production process (The chain and CanPak killing systems), bureaucratic control systems regulated the substantive and procedural rules (The tally and awards)(Pg 120, thesis)3

the only way forward for employers was rationalisation of the production capacity (Pg 120, thesis)3

1986

Australian Meat Holdings (AMH) – Four largest meat processors in Australia had decided to combine their resources(Pg 126, thesis)3

FJ Walkers (Wholly owned by Elders)3

Metro Meat Industries3

Smorgon Consolidated Industries3

Tancred Brothers3

combined assets $90M (Pg 127, thesis)3

Plan was to combine resources of QLD meat processing facilities, take over Mackay (then owned by Borthwicks) and Bowen plants. Establish the most suitable operating capacity for the new entity and then rationalise the remaining excess capacity (Pg 126 thesis)3

Borthwicks latter withdrew from talks but was latter taken over by AMH in 1987 (Pg 128, thesis)3

AMH principal objective was to rationalise capacity of its 9 abattoirs, so the remaining plants would operate near full capacity (Pg 128, thesis)3